


A Private Indulgence

by LorelyLantana



Series: Gratification [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Edging, F/M, Grinding, Hand Jobs, I don't care if it's weird, Lingerie, Pre-Calamity Ganon, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Teasing, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Zelda needs some self love, and she's gonna get it so help me, vibrating panties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:28:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23541976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorelyLantana/pseuds/LorelyLantana
Summary: For all of the fineries expected of a princess, it was rare for Zelda to be seen in lace. She simply didn’t care for it. The frills and intricacy contrasted with the minimalist, streamlined designs she favored. It seemed that garments made for mobility and unrestricted movement were what pleased the sacred princess the most, and the tailors of the castle had long since come to terms with that fact. Her prayer gown was the simplest of its kind, and it paled in comparison to the opulence of her predecessors' ritual clothing. Zelda would much rather spend her excesses on the pursuit of Sheikah technology, not something as frivolous as clothing.And yet, as Zelda walked through the Castle Town, her eye was drawn to one of the store windows. She stopped in her tracks, fixated. Her gaze wasn’t settled, as one might assume, on the ornate gown that served as the display’s centerpiece, but through the gap between garments that gave Zelda a peek at some of the clothes presented further back in the establishment.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Gratification [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2128932
Comments: 127
Kudos: 362





	1. A Different Kind of Beauty

For all of the fineries expected of a princess, it was rare for Zelda to be seen in lace. She simply didn’t care for it. The frills and intricacy contrasted with the minimalist, streamlined designs she favored. It seemed that garments made for mobility and unrestricted movement were what pleased the sacred princess the most, and the tailors of the castle had long since come to terms with that fact. Her prayer gown was the simplest of its kind, and it paled in comparison to the opulence of her predecessors' ritual clothing. Zelda would much rather spend her excesses on the pursuit of Sheikah technology, not something as frivolous as clothing.

And yet, as Zelda walked through the Castle Town, her eye was drawn to one of the store windows. She stopped in her tracks, fixated. Her gaze wasn’t settled, as one might assume, on the ornate gown that served as the display’s centerpiece, but through the gap between garments that gave Zelda a peek at some of the clothes presented further back in the establishment. 

It was a delicate thing, made from a black silk that was in such contrast to something that Zelda would typically wear she found herself transfixed by it. A far cry from the ankle length white gown she currently wore to bed, the halter chemise ended mid thigh, lace lining the hem and neckline. It was beautiful in a way she wasn't used to, and that drew her in. She made to go into the boutique when she caught sight of sharp, blue eyes behind her in the reflection.

He was watching. Of course.

He was always watching her.

Zelda knew she should stop staring and continue on toward the castle, but the stubborn part of her drove her inside.

“Stay here while I make an inquiry,” she ordered, pushing through the door. She checked twice to make sure he was watching the door before taking a closer look at the chemise on the mannequin. She slid her fingertips across the soft, smooth fabric. Surprisingly, she was drawn in by the lace. What once seemed like a frivolous excess now provided an air of elegant secrecy that sparked something inside her. 

She wanted it.

She waved an attendant over to have one made and sent to the castle, and she was assured that she would have it within a few days. She hurried out of the store, and that seemed to be that. Only on the way out of the store, she saw that the knight’s eyes had once again centered on hers. She mentally cursed. In her excitement she had failed to notice the caress of his gaze on the curve of her back that seemed so stifling a moment ago. She felt frustration rise, expectant of judgment on his face.

And yet, something had changed.

Her knight stood stoic, as he always did, but Zelda knew how to look for details in all things, which meant that the dark, heated look behind his eyes. She took a steadying breath under his scrutiny, the spark glowing just a bit brighter. For a moment she thought the situation might be enough to draw a few words from him, but he only opened the door for her, and she felt a shiver go down her spine as she passed him.

* * *

A full moon shone through her window when Zelda sent all attendants away and opened the parcel that a maid had delivered just moments before she pulled the black silk and laid it out on her bed. She hesitated, watching the soft candlelight kiss the silk as she let her hand glide over the cloth. Even within the secluded confines of her room, there was a thrill to this new level of boldness. A voice at the back of her mind, one that sounded very much like the maids who gossiped about her behind her back, found her fixation rather silly. There were countless women, older and wiser than her, that wore such things to bed without a second thought, yet she stood here like a little girl daunted at the aspect of wearing her mother’s heels.

Zelda shook her head. Let the world whisper about her all it wanted. This was for her, in the sanctity of her own bedroom, she wouldn’t bother with the condescendence of any kind. With a huff, she took the chemise and pulled it over her head before turning to the mirror.

Vain as it might have been, Zelda found herself speechless at her reflection. 

Zelda had spent her adolescence dressed in conservative dresses and a prayer gown that billowed over any of her curves. The most form fitting clothes she owned was her research outfit, and ensemble she spent precious little time in, certainly not long enough to examine how it made her look. As far as she knew, Zelda had spent her life appearing for all the world to be a pure and regal princess.

And yet it was that evening, in the dancing firelight, that Zelda discovered her sensuality.

She was no stranger to desire, of course. She had spent many a night haunted by heated dreams filled with the bright blue eyes of that knight she so detested, leaving her frustrated in the morning in several ways. Though she felt no affection, she knew attraction in the lines of his jaw, the strands of his hair, and scarred muscle that he kept hidden under his tunic. Insufferable as he was, he was a handsome man.

Yes, she knew what it was like to crave another, but now Zelda could see how someone might want  _ her. _

Now she could see the curve of her hips wrapped in that shimmering silk that promised softness. Her thighs covered in the dark lace that hid a delicious secret. She saw how her breasts swelled in the chemise and how her hair draped over her shoulders long and lustrous.

Zelda always knew she was beautiful, the word had been thrown at her too many times to count, but now she felt it resonate to her core because now it was beauty of a different kind. This wasn’t the decorative silvers or golds that gilded her on a daily basis, this was Zelda, wearing nothing but a simple nightgown of her own choosing. She ran her hands down her hips and thighs, relishing in how the cool fabric felt on her skin.

There was a commotion outside her window. A scuffle on the cobblestone path below. Before Zelda could register that there was a breach in castle security, her knight came storming into the room. She drew a breath to shout him out, but he was quick, hooking a hand at the curve of her waist and swinging her behind her folding screen and tucking her into a corner before bracing both forearms on either side of her head, shielding her from whatever threat may come through the window.

Zelda felt her face burn once she got her bearings. She hadn’t intended to be seen like this by a man, much less the one that trespassed in her dreams. Though she knew better to make a sound in a time like this, she found her chest heaving, breathless with the proximity. She couldn’t remember the last time another person had come so close to her. She could feel his breath brush past her collarbone, and while she didn’t dare look at his eyes, she could see his cheeks flush.

The spark inside flared, driving her to straighten her spine and curl her fists where they sat behind her back. She felt her bare back press into the cold stone, causing her to stiffen and to shiver.

His breath hitched, and she could feel the weight of his gaze settle on her bare shoulder. She sighed. She wanted to see what else she could draw out of him, what else she could do.

The tension snapped when a whistle sounded throughout the night air, the signal that whatever had caused the disturbance had been taken care of. Her knight backed away, and she felt a chill replace his presence as he gave a curt nod and marched toward the door faster than she’d seen anyone walk.

Once the incident sank in, she found herself unable to contain a small smile.

So  _ that’s _ what it felt like to draw someone’s eye.


	2. Counter

Zelda turned with a glare as she saw the knight charging up the hill on his steed before jogging to meet her in front of the shrine she examined. She had made one of many efforts to evade him this morning, and was uncharacteristically successful. She owed her victory to the small, secluded shop she had found on the winding route she took in hopes of throwing him off. Ever since she began wearing the black silk to bed she was more confident, and putting it on after the day ended acted as a balm to the burn of failure that constantly blighted her self esteem. An effect that only increased with the knowledge that in it she wrought a reaction, however small, from her resolute, stoic knight. In her deepest, most intimate moments when she was shrouded in the silence of the night, she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like to try to break that resolve, and what he would do if she did. Her waist burned in those moments, heated with the memory of his hand curling around her curves. But when the sun rose she remembered all that he stood for, and the resentment came rising with a vengeance, cursing her for wondering how his skin might feel against hers, how his scars would pull at her own smooth softness. 

This feeling would send her sneaking out of the castle in an attempt to lose him, and enjoy a blessed isolation that would allow her to regain her composure and her resolve to resist him. It never worked, as he always fell into step behind her before she made it out of Castle Town. 

That morning, however, she took a moment to enter the shop she spotted, distracted from her usual mad dash for the wilds. It was this decision that ultimately fooled her knight, who had assumed she had already made it to the gate and spent hours searching Hyrule Field before tracking her to where she now stood. Zelda herself had spent some time looking at the store's wares. 

She found herself drawn to a lingerie set made of black lace layered over a deep red stain lining. She admired the rose detailing in the lace, imagining how it might look against her own breasts and hips. Her excitement grew when she was informed that matching garters and stocking could be made.

She had also taken a liking to a pair of pure white floral lace stockings and the matching undergarments, finding the small blue bows placed at the center of both the bra and panties charming and playful. White had long since taken on a negative connotation, considering it’s what she wore when Zelda took to the waters of the holy springs that thus far only held failure. 

Zelda fingered the blue bow that adorned the lace top of the stocking, smiling at the bright blue that seemed a perfect imitation of her favored flower.

She bought them, taking her purchase out of the store herself rather than having it sent to the castle. Replacing an old nightgown was one thing, but she couldn’t have rumors spread that might imply she was indulging in romantic interactions before she unlocked her sacred power, as a set of decorative undergarments might suggest.

Her aggravation made all the worse for the illicit nature of her saddle bags’ contents, lace and little blue bows that matched her knight’s eyes. She scowled at him, furious at the inner conflict he brought with him. It had been bad enough when he made her incompetence all the more clearer, but now he had muddled her hostility with something heated that lingered between them.

“I’m surprised the mighty Hylian Champion is so . . . _submissive,_ ” Zelda said before brushing past him, flipping her hair to the side as she did so. The golden strands brushed along his cheek, and she swore she saw him shiver when she watched him over her shoulder. “Tell me, do you follow _every_ order given to you?”

He didn’t say anything, but he looked at her with hooded eyes, daring her to test that claim herself. She smiled as a wicked urge to tease him further tugged as her mind. 

“We’re done here, help me mount my horse.”

They both knew that she could take her seat with ease, but that wasn’t the point. The knight eyed her, and she relished in his gaze rather than resent it. She expected him to kneel, to make a stirrup with his hands, but he wasn’t as meek as she’d accused. He strode over to her until they were inches apart. They stood there for one tense, burning moment, before he gripped her hips and lifted her directly into the saddle. He ran his palms down her thighs as he drew back, looking into her eyes all the while.

Zelda was breathless, as exhilarated as she was completely stunned. She felt electricity linger where his hands had been a moment before, spreading dangerously close to her core. She’d never thought that her knight could be so brazen, and she doubted anyone would believe her if she told them. The thought of it kept her awake that night, trailing her hands over her thighs and thinking about what else she could get away with so long as he was around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can just imagine if this was the canonical scene for that memory and the corresponding journal entry is just.  
> "Dear Diary,  
> What the Fuck"


	3. Birthday Girl

If Zelda ever thought that there would be some sort of divine disapproval of her new fascination with intimates, her fears were banished upon her visit to Gerudo Town. It was her first time visiting since she reached her majority, and when she came through the gate she was shocked when Urbosa was already there to greet her, guiding her to the bazaar rather than the palace. 

“You’ve finally come of age, my Little Bird,” Urbosa said, “And now you shall celebrate the occasion like a Gerudo!”

Zelda beamed from ear to ear. Her birthdays have always been a nonevent back at Hyrule Castle, as her father hadn’t wanted to distract her from her devotions to the divine, which was one of the main reasons she had been so insistent on seeing Urbosa in Gerudo Town. She was even more ecstatic to find that the Gerudo celebrated a young woman’s coming of age by gifting the woman in question a set of lingerie as a gesture of good fortune when sending her off on her search for a husband.

This meant that once the sun set Zelda was treated to her first Noble Pursuit as she was gifted several sets of undergarments, meaning that the princess of Hyrule would return to the castle having amassed quite the collection of bed wear. Her favorite was a green babydoll set that brought out her eyes. It was the first set that Zelda opened and she had been so excited that she immediately pulled on the matching stockings under the asymmetrical green Gerudo style skirt she wore for the occasion, much to the encouraging cheers of the women around her. 

As the night wore on, she found the party atmosphere a bit stuffy, and told Urbosa she was going to get some air out in the desert, exiting the gate she knew her knight would be waiting. He followed her without comment, and she hadn’t expected one. She did make a point to take note of any changes to his facial features, and took deep pleasure when he ran his eyes down her legs for longer than necessary. 

Perhaps it was the Noble Pursuit, or maybe it was the pair of heels she’d worn to match the rest of her Gerudo outfit, but she found herself slightly stumbling through the sands. It was a prevalent enough problem that her knight wraps his arm around her waist so his hand rests on her hip, his thumb lightly tracing the skin of her stomach. Every once and a while she would feel her thigh brush against his as they walked. 

Zelda leans into him, feeling the side of her chest press into his, her own arm wrapped around her neck.

“I should have you know that tonight has been one of my more exciting birthdays,” she whispers, low and warm into his ear, “After all, it wouldn’t do for the princess of Hyrule to forget her daily prayers, now would it? No birthday kisses for me,” Zelda laughed bitterly, recalling the Hyrulean tradition of giving the birthday girl a kiss on the cheek, one she hadn’t partaken of since she was a little girl.

She stopped a moment at the gate, looking at the stars and hoping they’ll still shine as bright if she fails and Calamity ravages the land. She doesn’t have much time to dwell on that thought however, as her knight had taken his hand from her hip and instead put it to the side of her throat while he pressed his lips into the other side, tracing flames into her neck. He lingers there for a moment, and Zelda makes no move to deter him, instead holding him closer. She ran her hands up his arms, delighting in the firm muscle she found there before running her hands through his golden hair. She feels a barely there brush of fingertips across the top of her stockings, and she finds herself wishing he’d trace his hand just a bit higher.

Too soon, he drew away, gave her a nod, and continued his vigil. Zelda returns to Gerudo Town with an even greater fondness for her new green thigh highs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post Calamity Impa informing Zelda that she kept her adventure clothes and she's just like "That's wonderful Impa and I thank you but DO YOU HAVE MY STOCKINGS?"
> 
> Also I think I'm going to focus on my other fanfic The Subtleties of Fate for a bit, so if your interested I would love it if you would take a look in the interim. It's another Zelink fic, but a little less steamy and an even slower burn.


	4. Silks and Steel

It would seem that Zelda wasn’t the only one capable of seduction, nor was she the only Hylian that had a set of Gerudo made clothes. She walked through the desert behind her knight, utterly transfixed by the vast expanse of skin left bare by the male equivalent to the Gerudo guard uniform. They made a handsome pair, his green Gerudo armor made a fine complement to the light blue of the desert silks she had wrapped her curves in. Yet another gift from Urbosa, the stockings gave her legs extra protection from the elements when she wore them out on the sandy dunes

Zelda had consumed chilled elixirs, leaving her skin cool to the touch despite the increasing heat simmering in her core as she watched his back start to shine with sweat as he trudged through the scorching desert sands. 

Her resolve broke at the edge of Kara Kara Bazaar, driving her to place a cool hand against the small of his back, right above his belt.

_ “Ahh!” _

He whirled around, wide eyed and panting, face afire. She could almost hear his heart racing. They stood there frozen for what seemed like an age. Zelda was shocked, she had been trying to think of ways to tease a reaction out of her night, but this had exceeded her expectations. His startled moan rang around her head, refusing to let her think of anything else. Her own heart began to pound, and she unconsciously straightened her spine and put her hands behind her back as she lowered her chin. The action pushed out her chest, which her knight took notice of, taking in the rise and fall of her breath. Finally, Zelda recovered enough wits to speak.

“Forgive me sir knight, I had no idea you were so sensitive,” she was salacious in her smile and the tilt of her head which sent her golden hair sliding past her bare shoulder. Her knight drew closer, eyes lidded once more. She felt her thighs clench at the thought of what he might do to her. He didn’t embrace her, as she’d hoped, but he did reach out his hand to drag his fingers ever so softly over the bare skin of her stomach, just under her breasts causing her to gasp as shivers spread through her body. She felt the spark inside catch flame, and she felt herself leaning towards him, even when she was slightly embarrassed when she saw how her nipples had started pushing against the thin, breathable fabric that covered her chest.

She curled her hand around her knight’s belt and pulled him closer, leaning against the back of a caravan’s pile of merchandise. He pressed into her, putting his leg between hers as he leaned against her and stared into her eyes with a look that could cut steel, arms caging her in as they had the night he saw her in that silken nightgown. Zelda quaked at the feeling of his thigh rubbing against her, pushing against her core. She moaned into his ear, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him closer. She wanted more of him. She wanted to know the flavor of his lips and found herself wanting to ask if he ever wanted to know what she tasted like. She started to grind against his thigh, starving for just a bit more friction. Her knight caught on, flexing his leg and shifting his stance so his knee was braced higher and she was practically seated on his thigh.

_ “Ahh!” _

She couldn’t help the moan that escaped any more than her knight could stop the growl that came from his throat. He gripped her hips to guide her against him, his palms searing hot against her chilled skin.

A crash came from the Bazaar, prompting her knight to leap away with the realization that they were technically in public. Zelda slumped against the crates, feeling the tension between them slacken a rope that had been cut. After a moment they continued on, leaving the desert frustrated and wanting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I've got a question, writer to reader.  
> Are y'all here for the slow burn or the smut? Because I'm kind of on the fence as to drag this out a bit more or to just get right to the point.  
> Whatever your answer, thanks for reading! I appreciate all of the feedback I've been given.


	5. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Fluff? In my lingerie themed smut fic?

Zelda galloped alone through Hyrule Field holding back tears, her knight having a day’s leave. Her father had scolded her today, accusing her of slacking off and losing sight of what was important. He did so when he knew she would be surrounded by courtiers. Never before had she felt so small, so helpless. So she ran away from everything, changing out of her prayer gown and into her field attire, though she had opted to wear a black corset under her blue over shirt instead of the typical white turtleneck. She had taken a small comfort in the hard, protective feeling of the corset that gave Zelda the tactile impression of wearing armor. It was this feeling that allowed her to hold in her emotions until she had left the Castle Town and was away from prying eyes.

It had been a long while indeed since she had been out in the wild alone, but she didn’t have the energy to analyze the sinking feeling that came with her knight’s absence. What was another drop in the sea of despair she was drowning in?

Hooves pounded on stone as she steered her white horse up towards a shrine she had discovered in Tanabantha. She threw herself down to the ground and ran to the edge where she could look at Hyrule from above. She breathed in, taking in the fresh, free air that blew sweet on the wind. There, in the quiet calm of late evening that she finally let herself collapse into sobs.

She couldn’t keep doing this. She couldn’t continue to face the witch hunt led by her own father with a smile on her face and a promise to do better. One of these days her composure would shatter against the onslaught of disapproval and all over her personal sorrows would be out and bleeding for all the world to see. 

A galloping horse was heard in the distance, drawing ever closer. By the time Zelda had realized what that meant and turned around her knight was already jogging towards her. She made to wipe her tears away, but he only ran faster, kneeling beside her and taking her face in his hands. His thumb brushed along her cheek. Not for the first time, Zelda saw her knight’s mask of apathy crack. She had seen hints of the man behind the knight during those intimate moments between them that licked like flames inside her heart. She saw him then to, in the tragic slant of his brow and in the sorrowful look in his eye. He took her into his arms, finally given a safe haven, Zelda let the years of frustration and turmoil flow out. She didn’t know how long they sat there together, but eventually she stopped, the tears drying on her cheeks. She felt settled, but completely drained. Her knight wrapped her free hand around a water skin and Zelda wasted no time in swallowing the contents, feeling less strained with each sip. After she finished he took it away again before tightening his grip around her to lay back on the soft grass. Zelda looked up to the starry night sky over the sleeping land of Hyrule. She relaxed into her knight’s chest, hooking a finger in the neckline of his tunic and losing herself to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

He came for her, though he had no obligation to. He let her cry, and seemed to hurt with her. He had wrapped her secure and warm in a connection that she had been denied for so long she had forgotten what it felt like.

Zelda turned over, tangling their legs together when she shifted their embrace so she lay on top of him, pulling far enough away to look at his face to find all the adoration she had for him reflected back at her in his eyes. He brought a hand up her neck into her hair in a gesture that can only be described as reverent. Zelda moved a hand to cover his heart, looking at him a moment longer before letting herself fall into him. 

She kissed him. Slow and soft and full of the unexpected tide of affection she felt for him. It was gratitude. It was acceptance. It was a promise to be there for him should he ever need her.

When he ran his tongue along her bottom lip she opened for him, eager and wanting for everything he had to give. He surrendered it willingly, running a hand along the curve of her waist and over her hip to grip her thigh and pull her to him. Zelda ran both hands into his hair, rubbing her fingers into his scalp and drawing a deep, low moan from her knight. He drew away from her mouth, only to run his lips along her jaw to pepper kisses along her neck that seemed to run along her body to gather soft and simmering in her chest. Just when she had started to fade into a daze from his sweet attentions his tongue darted out from between his lips and dragged from her collarbone to the hollow of her throat. That simple action cut through the warmth of the moment with searing heat, his mouth along her neck causing her voice to jump.

_“Link.”_

She felt his heart pound against her breast, his name hanging in the air like a blessing from the divine. He kissed her with fervor, hand curling the back of her head while she relished in the warmth of his arms and the way they seemed to fit together. They lay together long into the night, taking the time to know each other, discovering their delights in the dip of her hips or the ridges of his scars. Eventually, Zelda pulled away with a sigh and settled back into his chest, once more putting her ear to his heart. He ran a hand through her hair and down her back, lulling her asleep under the shining full moon.


	6. Steam

They were closer after that night, though a part of Zelda was endlessly amused at the idea of growing closer to the man after shamelessly grinding her hips on him. Still, there was no denying the unspoken tenderness that changed the taste of that undercurrent of desire that had so often swept them away. Zelda had stopped waiting for the heat of the moment to melt her inhibition, instead satisfying her sexual curiosity whenever the situation allowed for it, a trend which started the very next night. 

She wouldn’t trade the magic of those loving moments for all the lace in Hyrule, yet there was no ignoring the sharp pains that came with sleeping on the hard ground. Her shoulders ached, causing her to roll them relentlessly throughout the day, and she harbored no false hopes that such actions went unnoticed by her ever watchful knight. What she didn’t expect, however, was for him to come knocking at her door that evening, prompting her to answer the door in a thin white cotton nightgown that proved to be her shortest piece of sleepwear yet. It wasn’t quite as suggestive of that black chemise that started it all, but she reveled all the same in the brush of his gaze over her legs, lingering on her thighs. After a moment he shook his head to snap himself out of it before wrapping a cloak around her shoulders before grabbing her hand and putting a silencing finger to his smiling lips. He took Zelda’s hand and led her down the stairs outside her room that led from her balcony to the shadowed path below. 

“Where are we off to?” Zelda asked, noting that Link seemed to be taking to the shadows to ensure their privacy. He only winked back at her with a wicked look on his face. They waited for a guard to pass before leading her down a spiral staircase she hadn’t known existed, it’s entrance covered by one of the many banners emblazoned with the Hyrulean royal crest. 

They emerged in a sizable cavern, one that had been forgotten by the people of Hyrule for thousands of years it seemed, if the guardians lined against the wall were any indication. She grinned from ear to ear, after she had returned to the castle her father had wasted no time admonishing her for her foolishness and how it was such actions that caused Zelda to draw the scorn of the people around her. Her self esteem and peace of mind had taken quite the beating, and nothing appealed to her more than losing herself in the mysteries of an age long past.

Then she heard her knight’s belt hit the floor.

Her head whipped around only to be blessed with the sight of Link’s shirt being pulled off as he stepped out of his pants. After setting his clothes aside he turned to Zelda with a wink before leaping off of the stone outcropping that served as a path to the cavern below. Zelda was utterly baffled at the splashing sound that followed until she went to the path’s edge only to discover bright, turquoise water pool below her, steam rising from the hot spring. She ran around the path to step in the gloriously warm water, blush spreading like wildfire when she took in the muscles of his back as they shifted with his every move, salivating at his broad shoulders and wanting nothing more than to run her hands over the crisscross of scars that painted his life story onto his skin. 

He beckoned her, looking sinful in the midst of the steam that billowed around him.

“Come here.”

The soft command sent shivers running up and down her spine. As princess, it was a rarity that anyone would dare take on an imperious tone with her, but there was an air of presumption to Link’s words that made the warmth of the room rise like the steam that caressed her skin. There was no hesitation, no need to hold back. He could take liberties in this cavern forgotten and hidden away from the world and all its prying eyes. Now the only gaze that mattered to her was his, so she dropped the cloak from around her shoulders and tossed it to the side.

Link had brought her to a place where it was impossible to be disturbed, a notion that coiled low and insistent in her abdomen, drawing her like a magnet further into the water. She hesitated when the water reached the hem of her nightgown, very aware of how thin it was and how very transparent it would be once it touched water. He didn’t pressure her, he only stood in the water, eyes soft and a loving smile on his face.

Zelda took another step, barely registering the light tickle of the fabric against her hips as the cotton began to glide in the water around her. He stepped toward Zelda to meet her halfway, reaching out for her, palm open and waiting for hers. She gave it to him, gigging as he pulled forward so the back of her hand rested against his beating heart, stepping back into the spring in the process. She moaned as the hot water cradled her shoulders, soothing away the stress of the day and the aches leftover from the night before. Link gave her a teasing smirk, and she ran her free hand up his bicep, giving it a squeeze before resting her palm on his shoulder, delighting in the powerful muscle that highlighted his frame. He brought the hand holding hers to the side and wrapped the other around the bare curve of her waist before swinging them around in a playful dance, waltzing through the water. She laughed, loving the sound of it combining with his chuckle while it echoed through the secluded cavern. She wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing her mouth to his. 

He moved so his hands were on the bottom of her thighs, and Zelda arched her back in delight, feeling her breasts press into his chest. This brought a twinge of discomfort between her shoulder blades and she winced. Link pulled away with a concerned frown, sensing her unease. She gave him a smile before bringing her hands to cup his face.

“I’m fine,” she insisted, “I’m still a little sore from last night is all.”

She expected Link to pull her back to him, but instead he pushed her away, gently directing her to sit facing away from him. She felt his fingers press into her back, probing for knots. He struggled at first, the fabric of her nightgown tangling with his hands.

Zelda bit her lip, her stomach doing a little lurch before speaking, “Take it off.”

The hands of her back stilled, and she felt his breath on her ear.

“Are you sure?”

Her heart fluttered and she nodded, raising her arms for him. He made quick work of removing her nightgown, lifting it swiftly and setting it flat outside of the spring. Zelda sat there in nothing but the deep green panties that brought out her eyes. She had put her hair in a bun before getting ready for bed, and while she was glad to have it out of the water, this also meant she was more exposed then she ever had been outside her room. 

And yet, rather than feel embarrassed or vulnerable, she only felt Link’s hands on her back, and a fond smile found its way onto her lips as she began to relax. After he had worked out every bit of bunched and strained muscle on her back, she leaned back into his chest with a sigh, not wanting him to stop touching her just yet. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into his lap with a sigh. Zelda tipped her head back onto his shoulder as he circled his finger on her skin, rubbing her ribs higher and higher before slowing down right before they brushed the bottom of her breast. She shivered, waiting for him to continue, but he didn’t move from that position.

“Keep going,” she breathed, turning her head to press her forehead into his neck, eyes sliding shut. She felt his chest quickly expand, his heartbeat pounding against her back as he brought his hand to cup her breast, massaging it as carefully as he had her back. She shivered against him, moaning when he gently pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers, tugging it occasionally. After a while, he moved his hand to give her other breast some attention, but any attention she may have paid to that action was stolen by the thrill that came with Link running a single finger along the line of her panties. She arched her back, causing Link to squeeze the hand holding her breast in surprise. 

“What do you want?” Link said in a voice low and thick with possibilities.

“I want you to go lower.”

He did, dipping his fingers inside her underwear and running a single finger down her seam before sliding it inside her, grinding his palm against her clit. Her eyes snapped open and she bucked her hips into his hands, and he added another digit, stretching her walls further than she had ever experienced before. His fingers were thicker than hers, and she found herself wondering if that thickness extended to other parts of his body.

She felt him harden against her backside as if summoned, and Zelda felt her heart rate speed up. She wanted to return the favor, but it was almost impossible to focus with his fingers still inside her, but Zelda found a compromise by continuing to grind her hips into his hand, rubbing against his manhood with every retreat.

Link let out a moan, increasing the speed of his fingers and the way Zelda moved against him. She reached back, her hands coming into contact with the back of his boxer briefs. She tucked her hand inside and began to fondle him a bit, smirking at his chuckle. She let their rhythm continue for a few moments, and just when she felt the coil in her belly about to snap she curled her fingers, lightly digging her nails into his skin. He stiffened with a jerk, his moan echoing throughout the cavern while Zelda felt him pulse behind her. 

His hand stilled for a moment as he came down from his high, only to come back with twice as much vigor, this time pumping in and out of her while his thumb circled her clit. She was mewling as she moved against him, but he didn’t stop, moving the hand that was previously fondling her breasts to her legs, tracing barely there lines into the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. It drew Zelda mad, the rush of sexuality made her feel like she was about to burst. Link bit her ear, and it was the last drop that broke the dam. She jerked up as she came, putting her hands on his knees as he teased every last drop of pleasure out of her. 

She collapsed against him then, sighing when he wrapped his arms around her once again, nuzzling her hair before kissing her on the cheek.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his breath sending shivers down her spine. 

“Never better,” she responded, still basking in the moment.

* * *

Moments later, when they were preparing for their inevitable return to the castle above, they ran into an issue. Link had brought towels down, but had forgotten to bring a set of spare clothes for Zelda.

“Sorry, he said with a sheepish smile on his face, “I’ll run up and grab something.”

To his surprise, however, Zelda merely picked up the cloak from where she had tossed it. She had her back turned to him, but he could see her fumbling underneath it for a while before his eyes were glued to a scrap of green she had tossed to where her still soaking nightgown. When she turned to him, she was covered from the neck down, but that did nothing to stop the choked gasp that escaped him.

“There’s no need,” she said, her smile wicked, “I trust you to return me to my room safe and unseen. You can return for my things once they dry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It kind of baffles me that of all of the Zelink fics I've read, I haven't seen any of them mention the hots pring almost directly under Zelda's Tower in Hyrule Castle. Like, the game developers essentially handed us a secret sex spot for pre calamity shenanigans on a silver platter and we're all sleeping on it.  
> Also I was totally listening to "Lovers" by Anna of the North while writing this chapter, and I think this is the longest chapter for this fic that i've written yet.


	7. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College stuff is over and I'm BACK y'all!

That night had proven to be the most productive time Zelda ever spent in a spring of any kind. Granted, it wasn’t towards her sealing power, but it was a step towards something even more exciting to her, and not nearly as daunting.

That said, that didn’t mean that Zelda didn’t have questions. She was a princess, after all, which meant that her knowledge of male anatomy was kept at a minimum. They taught her the basics, only so that she wouldn’t be taken aback when she was sent to the bed of whatever man she happened to marry, but Zelda was never one to be satisfied by the basics. She wanted detail, she wanted clarity, and she wanted to know what she was getting into before taking the plunge no matter how eager she may be.

It was this sentiment that drove Zelda to sit at her vanity and opened a small compartment that was rarely open. As a prominent public figure, she was no stranger to makeup, having spent hours sitting on that very stool while her handmaids brushed careful strokes of blush onto her cheeks and delicate white powder onto her eyelids. On days like those, she would leave her room the picture of innocence and youthful naiveté that Zelda had come to resent. She took out a small pouch of Gerudo silk, a gift from Urbosa after Zelda had expressed a desire for a less childish look. She took out red eye paint and took out a pencil thin brush. She had been advised to avoid using too much of it, especially since Zelda had fairer skin than Urbosa’s bronze desert complexion, so she settled for a thin, red line along her eyelashes that extended to a point just beyond the corner of her eyes. Then she took out the lip paint the Gerudo were so famous for, and painted a matching shade onto her lips. Satisfied, she stood and walked to the bed where she had laid out what she would be wearing tonight. 

It was the black rose patterned lace that had caught her eye when she spent the morning hiding from her knight, the lace was sewn on top of deep red silk that clung to her hips when she slid the panties on after she had slipped the matching stockings up to her thighs. The matching bustier pushed her breasts together in a way that would bring a knight to his knees and she couldn’t wait to see it. She pulled on a silk robe over her lucky black nightgown so anyone who glimpsed her silhouette would be inclined to believe she would be on yet another midnight stroll in the face of the insomnia that had plagued her ever since the mounting pressure of her position began to weigh on her. She grabbed the Sheikah Slate to help keep herself hidden. She didn’t have the guard rotation memorized as Link did, but she noticed that the camera function of the Slate would point out the soldiers’ equipment no matter how dark it was, so she made sure her path was clear before proceeding. She padded down to the hidden doorway Link had led her down a few nights before and after checking to ensure her solitude she slipped behind the banner to descend the staircase.

Zelda felt the tension in her body release, sending her gliding into the chamber where her knight was waiting. At her suggestion Link had been sneaking pillows and blankets to lounge on. To her amazement, he had somehow managed to haul an entire mattress and sheets into the forgotten cavern, and was settling down to wait when she walked down the path. Link made to get up and greet her but froze when he saw her, stuck leaning on his elbows. Zelda had loosened the knot in her robe enough to let some of the silk slide down her arm. The lovestruck look in his eye made her smile, and he sucked in a breath. Without another word she strode over to the edge of the mattress and let her robe slide down to the floor. She lingered there, savoring the insatiable look in his eyes as he sat up before setting her knees on either side of him and sitting down in his lap. 

Link curled his arms around her back when she kissed him, a pleased hum vibrating in his throat. She wasted no time undoing his belt and grabbing the hem of his tunic. He pulled away with a quirked brow, questioning her eagerness. Zelda’s cheeks burned but she held his gaze.

“I’m curious.”

His eyes widened with clarity before he helped her take his tunic off, as well as his undershirt before slowly leaning back into the soft grass with a gaze so soft Zelda felt her heart melt. Link’s hands stayed at her waist, rubbing affectionate circles into her hips while she looked down at him and began to gently run her fingers over his torso, taking in every dip and valley that shaped his chest and stomach, one hand moving up to his face to caress the line of his jaw and the angle of his cheekbone. She traced his face, delighting in the little jump that came when she gently dragged her nails across his lips. Her hands moved to his shoulders, rubbing her fingers into every detail of the man who lay trusting and vulnerable below her..

It wasn’t as passionate as their previous encounters, she was leisurely in her examination of him, and he let her explore to her heart’s content. Her tracing caused him to shiver and to sigh, and eventually her ministrations soothed his eyes shut, lulling him to a doze. She leaned down then, pressing her painted lips onto his cheek bone. He hummed in contentment, and that was all she needed to go lower.

She tugged at his trousers, and his eyes snapped open with a thrill shuddering through him. She locked eyes with him as she began to undo his belt. 

“Speak if you want me to stop.”

“Please don’t,” he cried, almost desperate.

A wicked grin spread across her face as she shifted her hips, making sure to grind down on him a few times before pulling his trousers down with his assistance. Zelda leaned over him, sucking and smearing his skin as she moved her hips over his. He moaned, tugging at her nightgown. Message received, she straightened and raised her arms above her head as he pulled her nightgown off. She pressed her hands to his chest, giving him a chance to savor the sight of her red silk and black lace while she took in the countless little red smudges where her lips had been. Then, she took hold of the first of many tiny buttons that fastened in the front of her bustier and took teasing delight in making a show of undoing the garment. She loved the way he trembled beneath her and she loved that she could see his eyes follow her hands as she exposed more of her skin bit by bit and the way she could hear him swallow when she unfastened the last button and dragged the red fabric to the side and dropped it on the sheets. His heavy breathing drew her eye to his own chest, where she had left countless marks on his skin.

There was a deep, territorial part of her that was so satisfied at the visual manifestation of her claim to his heart that she reached over to where the she had set the Sheikah Slate down and pulled it to her, snapping a picture of the lower half of her knight’s face and his painted abdomen. Fire licked at her core and she saved the snapshot to a hidden folder before winking down at her knight’s aroused expression slightly muddled with confusion.

“Quicker than commissioning a portrait,” Zelda quipped with a wink. Link chuckled beneath her before bucking his hips in a playful insistence. She giggled before gently tossing the Slate away and running both hands down his torso and hooking a finger into the waistband of his boxer briefs. She took a moment to brace herself for the unknown before pulling his breeches down and letting his erection spring out. She was a little surprised, when she was educated on male anatomy she was given a sparse diagram and a brief explanation as to the mechanics as to how a man’s member would stiffen under arousal, but what they didn’t tell her was that it would stick up. Curious, she poked at his head, pressing the pad of her finger into the smooth, burning skin of his tip. 

That one touch drew a sharp breath hissing from his lips, and Zelda’s eyes snapped to his face. The researcher in her had taken the wheel for a moment, and she had been more focused on the new information offered to her, but that breath set the spark leaping into a flame at her core when she saw the hungry look in his face. She shifted to accommodate the desire growing between her hips and shivered when Link moved his hands so they squeezed her rear at the sides, his fingers slipping underneath the fabric of her panties and sending lovely little thrills rushing through her. She bit her lip, and ran the back of her fingernail against the underside of his erection, relishing in his moan before wrapping her hand around him and tugging gently. His eyes shut with rapture, and she felt a smile grow on her lips.

She watched his face as she worked him and realized that the intimacy of sex came not from pleasure but from surrender. The intensity of the sensation robbed the man of his reason and left his heart soft and vulnerable. She saw it in his face as her hands drew out every last bit of restraint from his body. A sharp contrast to the guarded stoicism of his everyday life, under her care his face was open and unhesitant to express how good he felt. His voice, rarely heard in the light of day, filled her ears as he let himself moan and cry out with abandon. 

His eyes opened and met hers, and with a burning look in his eye he brought a hand to her cheek and pulled her down into a searling kiss. She continued to rub him down while she felt his tongue slip into her mouth and slide against hers. She could feel her nipples brushing against his chest as he curled up to reach her and arched her back so her chest dragged more firmly against his. She felt him shudder below her, and she knew he was close. She started tugging faster and he pulled away, losing his strength, but she followed him down and sucked on his tongue in time with both of her hands trusting on his manhood. He cried out, tensing before relaxing completely and Zelda felt something hot spray onto her ribs and the underside of her breasts. Looking around, she spotted that in his effort to prepare as thoroughly as he could, Link had set aside a bucket of water and washcloths, which she grabbed and wetted before wiping her stomach down. She shivered a bit at the slightly chilled water and wiped herself down. Once she was done she felt Link tug her down so her back was on top of his chest. He pressed the Sheikah Slate in her hands before wrapping his arms over her breasts.

“I want one of the both of us,” he whispered in her ear, and she grinned, holding the Sheikah Slate above them, flipping the camera around and taking a picture.


	8. The Breaking Point

Zelda moved to open the door, wondering if this was the day her knight would break. As their dalliance spun on, swirling just under the surface of their dutiful facades, Zelda found herself intoxicated at times by the secrecy of their relationship. This led to the little game they were playing for the past week. They had been pretty busy during the last few days, welcoming dignitaries from various regions to celebrate the summer holidays, leaving Zelda too exhausted to indulge in her beloved’s attention by the time the evening finished dragging on and she was dismissed to bed. 

This dry spell had a few unexpectedly pleasant side effects. Zelda noticed his glances, his grip on her hand staying just a bit longer then it should, and how he kept finding excuses to lean in close to her. Yes, she could see the lust in the way that he shifted and the swallow he took whenever she glanced his way. Zelda knew her knight was hungry for her touch.

But she wanted him ravenous.

So she teased him, running her finger across the top of his belt buckle whenever she moved past him, or dragging her hand down his back when it was turned. One day she went so far as to choose a gown with an uncharacteristically low neckline. This in itself would be enough to draw his eye, but she still took things a step further by pairing it with a brassier bordered in scalloped lace, which layered under her dress seamlessly. No one would know that the lace was anything other than a part of the gown she wore. None but Link, who would recognize the pattern from one of their previous trysts.

And recognize it he did.

She savored his delicious insistence when he buried his face into her neck, pulling her thigh to rest against his hip as he pushed her against the wall in front of her door. She sighed as his lips traced the scalloped edge of her exposed undergarment, and she shivered when he dipped his tongue inside her neckline. She allowed herself to relish in his ministrations a moment longer before pushing him away, leaving the both of them panting and Link’s eyes still focused on her cleavage. Noticing his fixation, she arched her back as she spoke in a low, teasing reprimand.

“Now that just won’t do, Sir Knight,” she purred, “We have prior engagements we must honor.”

He dragged his gaze up to her collarbone, her throat, her jaw, until finally meeting her eyes. 

“Lead the way,” he replied, still breathing heavily.

She allowed him a wicked smile as she walked down the hallway, letting her hips sway a little more just for him.

She made sure to push her luck one day during their evening meal. It was a stuffy affair, one that consisted of several high ranking military officers conversing with her father as they hashed out the movements of Hyrule’s armed forces. Link was required to attend as captain of her guard, but since his unit was permanently stationed in the castle there wasn’t much for him to contribute to the conversation. Thus, they silently ate side by side.

That is, until Zelda decided she had enough of the tedium and rested her hand on her knight’s thigh, under the table cloth and out of sight of any wandering eyes. She reached down and gave his knee a squeeze. Link shot her a quick, curious glance before taking another bite of his meal. Zelda took this as a challenge, dragging the tips of her fingers along his inner thigh, along the seam of his trousers.

He swallowed.

She rested her chin on her hand, looking to all the world like a drowsy, bored princess waiting for dinner to come to an end. Link, however, was under no false pretenses as he felt his princess lightly trace the bulge in his pants. He clenched his jaw but made no move to stop her. Emboldened, she gave him another squeeze, and suppressed a grin when she felt him twitch in her hand.

She considered undoing his belt, but then her father called the evening to an end, and Link was escorting her back to her room. She smirked as they walked up to her chambers. Link was expected to supervise the guard rotation tonight, and was to report immediately after dropping her off. And so he did, but he couldn’t resist giving Zelda’s backside a playful squeeze with both hands before turning around and marching away, followed by the sound of his princess’ giggles. Despite the levity of the gesture Zelda knew he was close to his breaking point, and the thought of it left her salivating.

The next day Link and Zelda were on one of the roads leading away from Hyrule Castle. It was different from most of their trips, as they had been requested to bring a rather large sample of Sheikah tech to Purah’s lab in Hateno. This meant that rather than horseback, Link drove a covered wagon while Zelda sat beside him. He told her that she could sit in the wagon if she desired shade, but she refused. She found it more productive to sit next to him in a long, loose skirt with a hidden slit all the way up to her hip along with the deep necked blouse that looked a tad big for her. A deliberate choice on her part, as the low cut informed Link in no uncertain terms that there was nothing underneath it.

There wasn’t anything under the skirt either, but Link didn’t know that just yet. At least, not until lunch. They had to get to Hateno in three days, so there really wasn’t time for breaks, which is the only reason Link had kept his hands to himself for so long now that they were out in the wild. They didn’t even leave the wagon to eat, opting to keep moving while they finished off their travel meals of skewers and rice balls. Zelda finished off her skewer and turned around so she could reach their packs in the wagon, taking care to raise her backside so the slit on her skirt fell open while doing so. While she was rummaging around her bag Link reached over to put his hand on her knee, sliding up her thigh slowly. Zelda theorized that he meant to brush his thumb along the center of her panties as a lighthearted comeback for dinner last night, but when his fingers reached their destination and he felt no fabric at all she felt his hand still against her. She barely suppressed a moan, the small sigh drowned out by the sharp intake of breath from the driver’s seat.

She turned around and settled in her seat with a bottle in her hand. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled at him as she held out her hand.

“Would you like this?” she asked with deliberate nonchalance.

“What is it?” he asked, taking the bottle in his hands and eyeing the light blue liquid.

“A contraceptive. It takes a few hours to take effect-”

She was going to continue her explanation, but he’d already knocked the bottle back, draining it in a single gulp. She laughed a bit, slightly nervous.

There was a rising tension between them after that, different from the sexual energy Zelda had nourished during the last week. For all of their exploits, they had yet to cross that final line. They had agreed to hold off on it, very aware of how quickly their relationship escalated. That was months ago, however, and Zelda felt ready for the next step, and considering Link’s eagerness, he felt the same. 

Perhaps contrary to expectations, she felt no desire to have her ‘first time’ to be soft or slow. She was already well acquainted with her knight’s gentle hand. She knew of his sweet caresses, his heartfelt kisses, and his lovestruck gaze. Now, she wanted to know his unbridled, savage lust. She wanted him to bite, to grip her so hard he left a mark, to ram into her until she couldn’t walk straight.

By the time the sun set Zelda was practically buzzing, squirming in her seat and glancing his way, running her eyes down his throat, his arms, to where his toughened hands were gripping the reins.

Alas, they had to wait a few moments longer. While Link set up their camp for the night Zelda was under strict instructions to run diagnostics on every bit of machinery they carried and make note of any changes. By the time she finished Link was walking over to the wagon to help her down to lead her to the campfire where some meat was already slow cooking. He reached out his hand and she took it, but then he froze. She glanced at him, confused. He wasn’t looking at her, but at the front seat where she had sat the day. There, in the flickering firelight, was a darkened spot where the wood had clearly been wet. As soon as she saw it she knew there was a corresponding damp patch at the back of her skirt. 

That was the spot that broke the camel’s back it seemed, as before Zelda could even consider being embarrassed she had been thrown over Link’s shoulder, his hand firm on her backside as he marched to the tent.

Link gripped that low neckline in his hands and pulled, tearing her bodice clean in half, exposing her chest to the chilled night air before diving to run his tongue roughly over her breasts, giving her nips and licks that would leave a dozen marks in the morning. She reached down and undid his belt in a practiced motion, and his trousers and shorts were off a moment later/ He ran his hands down her torso to grip her rear under the slitted skirt, pulling her hips closer to his. Zelda ground on him in a frenzy, desperate for pressure against the pulse between her legs. He groaned before he descended to face her hips, gripping her thighs and roughly pushing them apart and holding them down.

“Is this what you wanted?” he growled, she shivered under his smoldering gaze. She could only hum an affirmative, arching her back in relief as his fingers worked her, slipping into her with ease. He played with her thumb circling her clit while the fingers inside her teased every last drop of pleasure out of her until she saw white. While she caught her breath Zelda watched Link bring the fingers coated in her arousal and sucked them in his mouth, looking into her eyes all the while and just like that she was dripping wet once more. She moaned as he ran his tongue over his fingers, a wordless sound that snapped him out of the brief haze he had dipped in at the taste of her. He grabbed Zelda’s arm and pulled her up, as she sat up straight he grabbed her thighs without warning, leaving her grappling for his shoulders to keep from falling back over.

Once she was in his lap Zelda adjusted her hips, grabbing his erection and positioning it right to her opening. She shivered at the feeling of his tip against her before letting her body fall slowly, sinking lower and lower until he was fully inside her.

He held her close for a moment, a moment of tender peace before they came together in that blessed contrast of love and brutality. That savage affection driven by the most primal forces resting within them, deeper than their destinies and the sacred power bestowed upon them before Hyrule first rose from the ashes of decay.

Zelda was pushed back into the blankets once again, helpless against the overwhelming pleasure that came with the rapid, forceful thrusts as her beloved knight pounded into her, any semblance of restraint leaving his body as he let himself be consumed by his love born passion. 

He began roughly groping one of her breasts while he leaned on one quivering arm beside her head. Zelda wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him, biting his lip roughly before sucking on his tongue. It was the drop that broke the dam, and she could feel his orgasm while the pace of his thrusting became erratic and merciless before stopping completely.

He collapsed on her, and she savored the pressure of his body for a moment before reaching to pull their other blanket over their exhausted bodies.

“How are you feeling?” Link asked between soft kisses along her shoulder, sending butterflies flying in her stomach.

“Euphoric,” she answered, “You?”

His chuckle vibrated against her chest, “I’m so in love I don’t think I’ll ever be able to leave your side again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to anyone who read a Little Black Book


	9. Hum

People were getting suspicious.

Were it not for the Calamity looming over them, this wouldn’t be an issue, as things stood their relationship must remain a secret. They wouldn’t be separated, he was the Hero and she was the goddess blood after all. They would, however, be assigned a chaperone, and that was almost worse.

And so a plan was set into motion.

Zelda’s strategy was simple. All they had to do was return to form and act as though she loathed the very thought of her appointed knight. Just enough to convince the castle staff that absolutely nothing had changed.

“Oh you senseless brute!” Zelda shouted as a courtier passed them by in the corridor, “Why can’t you mind your business for once?”

Link of course, said nothing. Taking the admonishment without a word. They both knew there was no real venom in her words, but there was still a sting when his beloved’s voice spoke with such distress. Zelda knew he didn’t like it when she raised her voice, and no matter how many assurances she gave him during their private, quiet moments she couldn’t banish the regret in its entirety. Perhaps her guilt was also compounded by the fact that not too long ago those words rang true. So, to make things more equitable for Link, he was granted permission to play certain . . . tricks on her.

Take that morning, for instance, Zelda had opened her undergarments drawer to find it completely empty save for a solitary pair of panties. They were almost completely see through, save for the small scrap of unusually stiff, opaque fabric now tucked between her thighs. They didn’t seem exactly her style, but she was happy to humor her sweet knight every once in a while, especially now that she had to be harsh with him.

When she’s seen exactly how much could be seen through the panties she’d blushed scarlet. She’d never worn something quite so . . .

Bold.

It was exciting to think about, wearing something so brazenly improper out in public, even if her pants and blouse made sure the only skin showing was above the neck and below her wrists. There was a thrill in her stomach that came with getting away with something she knew quite certainly was forbidden. Besides, who was to know except her knight?

It was their little secret.

She’d been passive aggressive during breakfast, and Link was quick to retaliate, pulling into an alcove hidden by a tapestry almost immediately after leaving the dining hall. Zelda felt a sweet tension coil low in her belly as he pulled at her blouse, acutely aware of the several people exiting the hall not six feet away, completely unaware of her state of undress. He didn’t leave any of her bras in the drawer, so when he pulled her into an alcove after breakfast and undid the fastenings of her thick undershirt he had direct access to her breasts. She shivered as they peaked against the chilled air that breezed through the castle at wintertime. She waited for the feel of his skin on hers as he fondled her, but it never came. Instead, Link pulled out two small clips and, without a word of warning, closed them directly over her nipples. She gasped at the new, intense sensation, but before she could adjust to the feeling he was closing up her blouse, pressing a kiss to her neck before fixing her clothes so she was presentable once more.

They didn’t hurt, but they were insistent, and they made their presence known throughout the day whenever Zelda shifted widely enough or adjusted her shirt, forcing her attention away from what she was supposed to be doing back to what she was wearing under her shirt and pants.

Never before had she felt this exposed. She felt her body hum from the tension as she walked on, a deep flush in her cheeks that Zelda insisted was from the chill to anyone who asked. She watched the courtier turn a corner over her shoulder, breathing a sigh as they were alone once more.

A maid hurried down the hall, but not so quick that she missed the glare the Princess shot at her night. As the footsteps faded away a shocking, pleasurable vibration radiated from between Zelda’s legs. She squeaked loudly before she could stop herself, and just like that the sensation faded. She clapped a hand over her mouth as she spun around to watch Link slip something into his pocket, a smirk playing at his lips. She felt her heart flutter at his expression. There was a gleam in his eye, an endearing hint of mischief that she hadn’t seen in the light of day before. She turned around and continued her walk down the hall, suppressing a smile of her own.

This was going to be fun.

It would seem her plan was a success. The entire castle was filled with relentless whispers describing the disdain the Princess held for her knight attendant. It was plain as day when her body would tremble and her face went red with fury whenever she gazed upon him too long. Several castle staff personally bore witness to the countless times the Princess would leap up from whatever it was she was doing to hiss at her knight, body tensed in a rather unladylike posture. 

While the rumor mill kicked into high gear, Zelda was starting to admit that she was reaching her limit. She was wound up tighter than an ancient spring. Link was quick to reveal that the initial buzz between her legs was the lowest of several settings, and he would switch between them liberally. Zelda had spent her day squirming in her seat and stumbling about like a newborn foal, subject to the erratic rise and fall of the vibrator humming at his discretion. It was all she could do to keep her voice down when she had to stop to lean against the wall outside the library as the buzzing started to take her breath away.

It was vulgar. It was brazen, but Zelda couldn’t bring herself to be embarrassed even though she struggled to leave the library with the grace befitting a princess. She was drowning in the erotic shamelessness of it all and unable think of anything but the throbbing drum against her clit. A moan escaped her lips despite her efforts, and Link shut off whatever device he’d planted between her legs. Zelda turned around to give her knight a glare, and there was that expression again.

She didn’t know what it was exactly about that playful, smug, look on his face that had such an effect on her. Perhaps it was because that Link would only show that look to her, or simply the knowledge that he was enjoying himself that added more fuel to the bonfire he’d slowly built up within her. She wanted to touch him, to drag him out of sight so she could shove him against a wall and stick her tongue in his mouth.

So she did.

Zelda stepped on the first stair leading up to her tower when the low vibration kicked in again. She spun around to face him, taking his tunic in her hands and pushing him against the cold gray brick of the castle walls, running her lips and tongue down his neck.

“Careful,” he whispered low in her ear, a thumb brushing over her pinched nipple, “If we get caught, all your harsh words will be wasted.”

She only growled in response, pulling his tunic down to nibble his collarbone. A hand wrapped around to grip her backside and the rattling increased, if this wasn’t the highest setting Zelda couldn’t imagine what was. She gasped and went limp against him, her knees giving way at last to the relentless stimulation. Link’s thigh slipped between hers to support her and then there was  _ pressure _ .

Zelda bit his shoulder to keep from screaming, shuddering and arching her back against him.

Once the flood over her orgasm faded she relaxed into his chest, contentment spreading warm through her stronger than the winter cold. She stayed safe in his arms for a great while longer, suddenly drowsy now that the tension had finally snapped. After a few minutes Link bent down to sweep her off her feet.

Zelda leaned her head on his shoulder, struggling to keep her eyes open. He kissed her forehead, and she let herself doze off as he carried her up the stairs. When they finally reached her room he pulled her nightgown from underneath her pillows while she sleepily fumbled at her belt. Link pulled off her boots while she took off her shirts. He took the clamps from her breasts, rubbing each in turn. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. He held her from a moment, pressing her close.

“Do you need anything?” he asked after they came apart, resting his forehead against hers.

“Water,” she replied, and he pulled away with a quick peck on the cheek. She finished changing into her nightgown and slipped under the covers by the time he’d returned. She took a sip of water, grabbing his hand as he turned to go.

“Stay,” she asked, and he nodded. He walked to the other side of the bed, slipping off his boots and setting the Master Sword against the wall. Zelda reached for him when he joined her, resting her head on his arm and entwined their legs. Once she was settled in his embrace she finally allowed herself to fall asleep.

Then, the last moment Zelda could remember of that night, she heard him whisper “I love you.”


	10. Love is in the Lace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College stuff has started again and I'm BACK y'all

Zelda contemplated the three sets of lingerie set before her before ultimately deciding on the one in the middle. She wanted the next evening to be special, and she was determined to dress accordingly. She fingered the bow resting on the panties’ waistband, wondering if it looked a bit childish. The ensemble to her right was a black silk set she’s acquired recently, but it seemed a bit too intense for the message she set out to convey. It was undoubtedly seductive, but she wanted sincerity, so it would have to wait for another day. To her left was the deep green set she’d received on her birthday. Zelda hadn’t had a chance to wear it in its entirety, but it still didn’t seem right. They brought out her eyes, but that seemed a bit too self centered for what she had in mind. So she ended up with the white, floral set she’d bought when Link chased her to Tabantha. 

How poetic.

She packed it away carefully making sure to stow it deep into her bag. It wouldn’t do to spoil the surprise, after all. Then she tucked away the freshly altered prayer gown. It was tricky to convince the tailor’s to make the changes, as their job was to make the princess the picture of modesty. It was only when Zelda exaggerated the transparency of the white cloth when soaked that they agreed to her modifications, and Zelda’s plan proceeded at full speed.

The Spring of Power was the closest of the three to Hyrule Castle, which meant that it was the shortest trip and they rode through the quarry shortly after lunch. Zelda attempted to pray before leaving the cold waters shortly after midnight. She wasn’t successful, but she didn’t have time for dejection. Instead, butterflies brushed against her insides, anticipation building. 

She passed to where she would typically change into a set of flannel pajamas that Link gifted her so Zelda could be warmer at night. Instead she detached the soaked portions of her dress, leaving an under dress that brushed the tops of her thighs. She then took out her second set before she hung the other to dry. She turned to where Link was stoking the fire.

“Link,” she called, almost a whisper, but it was all he needed to scoot around to face her. He raised a brow when he saw she was still dressed for the spring, but said nothing. He simply waited for her to speak.

“I owe you an apology,” she said, “for how I treated you during your first few weeks as my guard.”

He shook his head. “I never held it against you.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” she insisted. Zelda shook her head, pressing the issue wouldn’t get them anywhere, and she had a goal. 

“If you won’t take my apology, then at least hear my explanation.”

Zelda stepped closer to him

“I was conflicted those first few weeks,” Zelda admitted as he leaned back on his hands, “I’d always thought that you had despised me.”

Her knight’s stoic expression cracked with a quirk of a brow. His face fell as his eyebrows drew together in a frown.

“It wasn’t anything you did,” she explained, running her hand through her hair, “For so long all I’ve known was the derision of everyone around me that I assumed that you were no different. I thought that you had to resent following me around. Playing babysitter to the royal failure. I was mistaken, wasn’t I?” she watched him nod with earnest, she smiled softly before continuing, her voice falling into a purr. 

“Nevertheless, I resented you, a feeling that wasn’t at all helped by my attraction to you. I’d thought you a mindless brute, but that didn’t change the fact that you are a handsome man.”

Zelda stood, walking behind her knight and running a finger across his shoulders, lightly scratching the nape of his neck as she grabbed hold of his hair tie and pulled. She raked her hand through the silky golden strands as it fell from its ponytail. 

“I didn’t have much reason to love myself,” she admitted, dragging her fingernails down his back and biting her lip when his muscles jumped, “All I hear are whispers of how I failed at every level, and when they’re not whispers they’re words thrown in my face by my own father. It weighs on you, the constant derision, so I lived my life trying to forget who I am. I’d throw myself into the pursuit of Sheikah technology because it kept me from thinking about all of the ways I was letting this country down.” Zelda knelt and pushed her arms under his, pressing her unbound, if lightly covered chest into his shoulders. Link’s hands caressed her arms where they circled his chest, and she gave his neck a kiss before continuing.

“But then, one day, I found the black nightgown that sparked this dance between us. I was so drawn to the contrast it had to what was expected of me that I had to have it. I saw myself in the mirror and I realized that for all my faults, I was desirable. I could see it, that night, how someone might want me. And then you came barreling in, pushing me against a wall and for the first time since we met I saw your composure crack,” she brought one hand up to his face, thumb brushing over his lips, smirking when he gently bit it while the other hand trailed circles over his heart. 

“I’d drawn a reaction from my stone faced knight, and for the first time I felt strong. I didn’t need the sealing power to be desired, to be cherished, and I couldn’t get enough of that feeling. I wanted more”

He was trembling, and Zelda moved the hand over his heart to glide down his abdomen, fingernails running along the waistband of his pants where she could see him straining.

“So I started wearing lace”

Her hand snaked under his pants and she grabbed hold of him. He sobbed when she squeezed his manhood before drawing away, standing in front of him once more. She smiled as she undid the fastenings on her dress. Zelda then spread her arms out, drawing the fabric away and showing off her legs wrapped in floral stockings and blue ribbon.

Zelda dropped the skirt, letting the whote fabric pool on the floor as she heard Link suck in a breath. She watched his gaze slide down her legs before rising again and resting on the bows wrapped around her thighs. His eyes widened with realization and snapped to her face, his face flushed. 

“I sought the intimate pieces of you,” she sank into his lap, one hand gripping his bicep while the other cupped his cheek. 

“Your attention,” 

She pressed her lips to his neck, as he had to her the night of her birthday, only this time she went a step further, biting the skin just above his shoulder.

“Your affection,”

She undid his belts, gently pulling his tunic over his head and leaving him open and wanting under her hands. Her fingers slid up and down her back, relishing in his shiver.

“Your touch,”

He sighed, turning his head to the side to give her more room as she kissed her way up his neck before nibbling the bottom of his ear. She felt him rise against her core, causing her to shiver and grind down in the way he liked. Her knight gripped her hips with a groan. She drew back to look into his eyes.

Link had confessed his devotion twice now, but always after the heat had faded. This time, Zelda wanted love to serve as a preamble, rather than a product.

“For all my studies, I could never put words to all that I feel for you. Every attempt falls short. Instead, I thought I could try and convey my thoughts through action, as you so often have.

She kissed him then, slipping her tongue into his mouth and delighting in his helpless moan. Her hand on his arm moved to his hair. Her fingers started massaging his scalp as his hands squeezed her backside, stoking the fire that burned bright in her core. She pulled away with a gasp before once again bringing her mouth to his ear.

“I love you.”

Faster than she could track, she was lifted by her thighs off his lap and onto the bed flat on her back. She didn’t see her knight climb on top of her, preferring to instead drop to grasp at each of her thighs. He placed each of her knees on his shoulders while Zelda trembled in anticipation. He ran his cheek along the lace wrapped around her leg before mouthing the strip of bare skin that separated the stocking from her panties. It was Zelda’s turn to moan as she felt his tongue run along the inside of her thigh, stopping just shy of the fabric that covered her. He looked up at her face, giving Zelda a glimpse at his beautiful blue eyes, a dead match for the ribbon woven into her stockings. The thought made her shiver, and Link took that as his que to proceed. He pressed a quick kiss to her other thigh before pressing his tongue against her panties, dragging it up until it reached her clit.

Zelda twitched against him, and he murmured with satisfaction, hooking a finger into the waistband, pressing the bow into his thumb as he dragged down. She lifted her hips for him, eager to give him the access he wanted.

He wasted no time, licking up to her clit, drawing out a cry from Zelda’s lips as she pushed her fingers through his hair and pressed him closer. He stuck his tongue inside her, rubbing against the walls of her vaginal while his nose against the bundle of nerves that always sent her over the edge. Link seemed to savor the taste of her, a thought that made her heart pound as she writhed under his mouth. 

He doesn’t say ‘I love you’ but the words seep into her skin when his lips caress her neck, her shoulders, her breasts. He is reverent when he kneels down between her legs and runs his hands, so rough and so gentle, around her thighs to support she needed to let herself sink into the beautiful haze of pleasure that spills from his mouth. She sings to him in return, moaning when he puts his mouth on her and tugs on his hair to ground herself and hissing out his name every time his tongue flicks over her clit.

She ground her hips into his face, and re-doubled his efforts. He started sucking greedily, trying to take in as much as he could. It nearly did her in, but she managed to pull him away and dropped her knees to the side so he could crawl up her body to kiss her neck, cheek, and lips. It was a strange flavor, but not unpleasant. 

“Ready?” he asked, tucking a strand of hair damp with sweat behind her ear. Zelda nods, then sighs as she feels him enter. She was no stranger to this feeling, but they’d done this so few times that she only felt acquainted with the contentment that came with him inside her.

He rocked against her, and this time he does say I love you. It tickles her ear as he puffs against it. It vibrates against her neck, and she echoes it back to him when he tugs down her neckline to suck at her breasts.

And then she breaks, shattering into starlight in his arms. He joins her in bliss only a few moments later, gently thrusting against her so they both come down from their high slowly. As things wind down so does he, and she presses him closer as he settles himself on top of her. His hair tickles her breasts as his head comes to rest between them, and she scratches his scalp slowly. They’re still for a moment, just breathing together. Link takes her idle hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

“I love you.”

She means to say it back, but her stomach, neglected since that afternoon, beats her to it. Link laughs out loud, a rumble pressed against her own. He plants a kiss on her stomach before buckling his pants and rising.

“I’ll get started on dinner.”

[ Bonus Art ](https://lorelylantana.tumblr.com/post/637808603939602432/a-little-piece-based-on-my-fic-a-private)


End file.
